Friday, February 05, 2016

Blockbuster film franchise will now expand across new stories and media platforms

“Extending the World of ‘Baahubali’ beyond movies allows us to reach a larger audiences and that is really exciting for me,” said director SS Rajamouli. The acclaimed filmmaker was speaking during the announcement of the partnership of Arka Media Works with Graphic India, which will take the epic blockbuster and extend its story world beyond movies into original comic books, novels, animation and video games.

Through comics and animation, millions of fans will finally be able to experience secret stories and hidden legends about the world and characters from ‘Baahubali’ and also get clues about the upcoming sequel.Two brothers competing to rule the greatest kingdom of its age and the epic adventures they must endure to prove they are worthy to one day wear the crown.

One shall rise to be King of the throne, while the other shall become King of the people. Political intrigue, betrayal, war, action and adventure - through dense forests, epic mountaintops, raging seas and hidden underground caves, Prince Baahubali’s adventures will take him beyond what was seen in the film, exploring different kingdoms, fighting strange and deadly warriors, saving villages from tyrannical warlords, and rescuing the innocent from certain death.

Graphic, currently in production on a number of digital comics and mobile shorts which will be released later this year, is working on trans-media opportunities and partnerships for the film property across gaming, digital content, novels and merchandise. “We are happy to be collaborating with Graphic India who I believe have the best knowledge and experience in this space,” said Rajamouli.

CEO of Arka Mediaworks, Shobu Yarlagadda said, “Having created many iconic stories and characters, there is no one more equipped than Graphic India, to take the story of Baahubali forward. We are very excited for what's to come.”

Graphic and Arka are also working on a larger animated project, tentatively entitled, ‘Baahubali: the Lost Legends’, which is being developed and produced by Rajamouli, Shobu Yarlagadda, and Graphic India Co-Founder Sharad Devarajan.

“The epic storytelling and groundbreaking visuals that SS Rajamouli created have captivated millions of fans including myself, and the future of Indian cinema shall now always be defined as ‘before Baahubali’ and ‘after Baahubali’,” said Graphic India Co-Founder and CEO, Sharad Devarajan.